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Patented Junell, 1895.

UN TED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

WILLIAM F. ONEILL, OF BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS,ASSIGNOR OF TYVO- THIRDS TO JOHN J. ONEILL AND ANNIE ONEILL, OF SAME PLACE.

RETAINING DEVICE FOR BO TTLE STOPPERS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Fatent No. 540,921, dated June 1 1, 1895. Application filed March 19, 1895- Serial No. 542,361. (No model.)

.To aZZ whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, WILLIAM F. ONEILL, of Boston, county of Suffolk, State of Massachusetts, have invented an Improvement in Retaining Devices for Bottle Stoppers, of which the following description, in connection with the accompanying drawings, is a specification, like letters on the drawings representing like parts.

This invention has for its object the production of a simple and effective device for normally preventing the complete removal of the stopper of a bottle without interfering with the withdrawal of its contents from time to time, the construction of the device being such that the act of turning the bottle into pouring position automatically opens the stopper, the righting of the bottle automatically closing the stopper.

Figure 1 represents in vertical section a bottle provided with my invention in operative position, Fig. 2, on a smaller scale, shows the relative position ,of the parts when the bottle is tipped; and Figs. 3 and 4 are enlarged details of the retaining device, the parts being disconnected.

The stopper a of suitable shape to close the mouth of the bottle A, Fig. 1, is provided on its inner side with a preferably threadedboss .a' and a shank a of stout wire or other suitable material. If desired, the stopper may be made to fit into the mouth of the bottle, and it may be of rubber, cork, glass, &c. A detent, shown as a bail b, is pivotally mounted at b in the slotted or forked end of a support 17?, shown as tubular to receive the shank a and threaded. at its upper end at b to engage the boss a of the stopper, and thereby-connect the parts. One end of the bail is weighted, as at b to tip it on its pivot, as shown in Fig. 3, or in dotted lines Fig. 1, while'the length of the shank a is great enough to permit its extremity to engage and hold the bail extended as in full lines Figs. 1 and 2, when the stopper anddet'ent support. 17 are coupled tightly. The support b is of such length that when inserted in a bottle, the detent b will engage the base of the neck A if the bottle is tipped, limiting the outward movement of the stopper a, but permitting the contents to fiow out, while return of the bottle to upright position automatically seats the stopper.

When the retaining device is to be inserted in a bottle the stopper a and support b are' unscrewed until the detent b can move on its pivot sufficiently to permit its passage into the neck A of the bottle, and after the detent is beyond the base of the neck the stopper and support are tightened, thus causing the shank a to bear upon and move the detent into operative or full line position Figs. 1 and 2. To remove the retaining device,the operation is the reverse of the foregoing, the

weighted end b of the detent moving it more or less into alignment with the support when the effect of the shank a is removed.

My invention is not restricted to the precise construction and arrangement herein shown and described, as the same may be altered or modified without departing from the spirit and scope of my invention.

I claim- 1. A stopper to normally close'the bottle, a support connected to the under side of the stopper, a detent pivoted thereon to enter the bottle and limit outward movement of the stopper, and means to positively tip the detent on the support when within the bottle and to fix its angular position relative to the support, substantially as described.

' 2. A stopper to'normally close the bottle, a pivotally mounted detent to enter the bottle when in inoperative position and to limit outward movement of the stopper when in operative position, and longitudinally adjustable rigid connections between the stopper and detent, to support the latter and control its angular position relative to said connections,

substantially as described.

3. A stopper to close the bottle when upright, a rigid detent support detachably connected to the inner side of the stopper, and a detent pivotally mounted at the inner end of said support, to engage the base of] the bottle neck and limit outward movement of the stopper when the bottle is tipped, movement of the stopper and support toward and from each other controlling the angle of the detent relative to the support, substantially as described.

4. Abottle stopper provided with a threaded boss on itsinnerside, and an extended shank, In testimony whereof I havesigned my atnbnlar support to receive the shank and enname to this specification in the presence of gage said boss, and a weighted detent; pivoted two subscribing witnesses.

. to the inner end of said supp0rt,movement of WILLIAM F. ONEILL.

the shank to bear on the detent holding the \Vitnesses: latter in operative position, substantially as JOHN G. EDWARDS, described. AUGUSTA DEAN. 

